Remove James Bay as an option for Greater Victoria's sewage treatment plant

Let your voice be heard by signing this petition for having James Bay removed from the possible list of locations for a sewage treatment plant.

A recent online survey put forward by the Eastside Committee, chaired by Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps, sets out to get input from the community on the placement of a new sewage treatment plant. In the survey, James Bay is misrepresented as not being “residential” and characterized as having “public support.” In reality many James Bay residents are unaware that James Bay is even being considered as a possible location.

James Bay is listed in 5 out of 6 possible “options.” From this survey, two “finalists” will be selected. This process leaves residents in James Bay with no real option since the real decision making about site location has already taken place. James Bay is guaranteed to be selected as a “finalist.”

James Bay is the most densely populated neighbourhood on Vancouver Island and one of the highest in British Columbia. James Bay’s 5,718 population per square km (excluding Beacon Hill Park) compares to the rest of Victoria’s population density of 3,930 population per square km. The use of Ogden Point for any treatment facility would maximize the number of people affected (see source below).

The rushed timeline for a new site has left many James Bay residents in the dark with no official representation or means of expressing their will.

The selection of James Bay as a treatment site has implications for not only James Bay but also the entire region, including Washington State. Please sign this petition even if you are not a James Bay resident. Many experts believe that the selection of James Bay as a location is not based on good science and not the best solution for the region.

If you believe this doesn't go far enough, then also look at the petition for an investigation on whether James Bay should be a municipality: